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Communications

Communication is the art of conveying information and includes not only verbal interchange, but also printed materials, websites, & email. Because people are inundated with messages every day, in so many ways, how we choose to communicate with our target audience is critical to the success of our communications. The resources on this page strive to cover not only the tools of communication, but also the best practices to create effective communications.

Five Twitter Mistakes You Might Be Making

Source: Firespring

If you “do” Twitter, make sure you review this list of tweeting “don'ts” from nonprofit web design and marketing firm Firespring.

Creating a Video? Here Are 20 Terms You Need to Know

Source: See3

It's hard work to make a compelling video. Working with a video expert can make things easier, but not if you don't know the lingo. Use this helpful list of video terms from nonprofit communications firm See3 and make sure you're speaking the same language.

More Than a Ticket: Rethinking the Annual Report

Source: NTEN

In the September 2015 issue of NTEN: Change, the Seattle Theatre Group and Pyramid Communications describe the strategies they used to nearly double readership of their online annual report and share their message and mission with a broader audience.

The Art of Listening: Social Media Toolkit for Nonprofits

Source: The Greenlining Institute

This new report from the Greenlining Institute has tips and best practices for nonprofits, divided into seven sections on topics like listening, communicating, building an audience, managing accounts, generating content, developing a social media policy, and measuing effectiveness.

The Cost of Bad Data

Source: NTEN

Do you have dirty data? Having good data hygeine practices means more than just dusting your database, and can save you money while helping you raise more. Sara Rowland of International Data Management shows the real world effects of bad data, and highlights three best practices for keeping your database squeaky clean.

The Magic of the Welcome Email for New Subscribers

Source: Future Fundraising Now

Citing a recent blog post by email marketing company Emma, Jeff Brooks makes the case for welcome emails for new subscribers, which have open rates or 50%, can increase long-term engagement by 33%, and have transaction rates nine times greater than other emails.

Why Nonprofits Need to Be Storytellers

Source: Bridgespan

To Andy Goodman, a nationally recognized author, speaker and consultant in the field of public interest communications, storytelling is integral to a nonprofit’s ability to advance its mission. Stories can shape people; they can inspire them to think and act differently. Stories are what can connect your nonprofit’s community, funders, beneficiaries, and employees with your cause and vision.
In this Q&A, Goodman discusses the importance of storytelling for nonprofits and how nonprofits and their leaders and staff can approach blending powerful stories with data to advance their organizations’ missions.

Idealware Social Media Report

Source: Idealware

New social media startups are appearing all the time, and the lines that distinguish existing tools blur more each day. Facebook is still the dominant channel, but even there, usage is on the decline. Is your organization’s social media presence still cutting it? While many of these newer tools may be unfamiliar to you, each has its own audience—and if your targeted demographic overlaps, you might want to add it to your existing arsenal to help you reach and engage constituents.
Idealware’s latest report, Exploring Cutting Edge Social Media, details many of these less-familiar social media tools and offers guidance to help your organization think about whether to incorporate them into your communications mix.

Do You Really Talk Like That?

Source: Ann Green's Nonprofit Blog

Imagine that you are donor and you receive a newsletter from a nonprofit organization that you support. As you read it, you come across phrases like generate social capital and culture-focused projects. Does it make you want to read more, or put it aside and go on to your next piece of mail?
One of the keys to good writing is to be conversational. Many nonprofit communications (newsletters, fundraising letters, etc) are not conversational and tend to be impersonal and abstract.
Don't worry. it's easy to fix this. Here are a few ways to make your writing more conversational.

Forget Networking

Does that title really suggest that we forget about networking? WHAT? This article proposes that "connecting" is something that is distinct from networking and describes "connectors" as having an ability to span many different worlds, subcultures and niches. Are you a connector?
Read the article ofrom Entrepreneur.